Akshayev quits Molodechno-2000

Vyacheslav Akshayev has given way to his assistant Igor Gasyuto as coach of Belarussian side FC Molodechno-2000.

Assistant takes over
The 44-year-old Akshayev has stepped down from the post he took up at the start of the season to take over at second rung side FC MTZ-RIPO, leaving his 48-year-old assistant Gasyuto to lead Molodechno-2000's league campaign.

Ambitious plans
"The plan of development of [MTZ-RIPO's] infrastructure did not leave me cold," said Akshayev. "The club president, Arkadi Shklyar, assured me this is not a one-day project. I am impressed by his large scale plans and by the fact that he realises that, apart from the senior team, attention should be paid to youth football.
 
'Sincere gratitude'
"Aside from their future plans, the club have ambitious present aims too," he added. "The most important is to win promotion to the top flight. Regarding my work at Molodechno, I think I managed to create an efficient team despite my short spell there. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the city for our fruitful co-opertion. I hope I have not offended anyone."

Five points
After five rounds, MTZ-RIPO lie in fifth place in the table, trailing second placed FC Smorgoni by three points with first and second place finishes leading to promotion to the top flight. Meanwhile, in the top division, Molodechno-2000 lie in tenth place with five points from their first five games of the season.

Coaching duo
Gasyuto will now step out of Akshayev's shadow, having previously worked with his predecessor at Molodechno-2000 as assistant coach at FC Belshina Bobruisk. The pair led their side to a famous double in 2001 before moving to Molodechno-2000 in January. As a senior coach, Gasyuto led FC Lokomotiv-96 Vitebsk to eleventh place in the top flight in the 2000 season.